Internal Transfers

Group of students studying together on campus

Thanks for your interest in the College of Design! The information below will likely answer many of the questions you have regarding transferring into the College of Design from another college at the University of Minnesota Twin Cities. Please review the information and if you have any questions, feel free to contact our ICT Specialist, Betsy Mowry Voss.

Internal Transfer Information

Admissions

Students transferring into the College of Design from another college within the University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus are reviewed along the same admissions requirements and review factors as an external transfer student. Students will apply directly to a specific major and must adhere to the studio sequence requirements of the given major.

View Transfer Admissions Requirements

To apply, you must do the following:

Once the Change of College application has been submitted, you will receive further information from ICT Specialist, Betsy Mowry Voss.

Academic Advising

After receiving your admission email, check your MyU to see who your academic advisor is. Please allow 7 days for the advisor assignment to appear on your portal.

To get off to a great start in the College of Design, our advisors recommend that you:

  • Connect with your advisor. As a new student, you’ll be required to meet once with your advisor during your first year. Beyond this, it’s up to you. Advisors are here to support you, so take advantage of this great resource.
  • Stay up-to-date on your umn.edu email account. Email is the U’s official means of communication with you. Watch it for scholarship deadlines, events related to your major, critical information from your academic advisor, and more.
  • Read the College of Design Weekly Newsletter for college and major-specific information.
  • Get involved in your major and across campus.
  • Carefully review the information for your major under the Major Requirements and Degree Progress tab on this page.
     
Major Requirements & Degree Progress

The four-year plan for your major indicates which courses you need to take and when. It works together with the APAS report, your online checklist of the degree requirements you have (not) completed. It is your responsibility to monitor your APAS report in order to track your degree progress.

The College of Design will update your APAS as soon as possible following your admission notification. This may take up to five business days. If you would like to see how your classes transfer to your College of Design major prior to that, generate a "What If" version of your APAS.

Review of Transfer Courses

Once admitted, we will review your transcript to identify studio coursework taken outside of the University that may possibly fulfill a major requirement(s). If you have such coursework, you will receive an email from [email protected] with instructions for submitting the coursework for faculty review. Please submit your coursework as promptly as possible.

If you believe you have transferable studio-based courses but have not received an instructional email within two weeks of your admission notice, please contact [email protected].

Please note:
  • It is not common for faculty to approve transfer studio courses to meet upper-division major requirements.
  • Non-studio based major courses may be petitioned through your academic advisor once you begin your courses in the College of Design.
  • Courses that may fulfill liberal education requirements are reviewed by the Office of Admissions.

Major-specific Information

You've been admitted to the College of Design, so what's next? Take a look at your major-specific information for details about your degree path and registration.

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Apparel Design

Academic Information

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your to ensure timely graduation. If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Notes:

  • In the apparel design program, you will select from one of three tracks at the end of your first spring semester.  
  • Until you have officially selected a track, your APAS will not be fully complete for requirements.
  • Many of the courses required for the apparel design major, including major electives, are offered once per year. They are designated on your four-year plan as “fall only” or “spring only.”

Registration

Students admitted for fall term
Register for:

  • DES 2101: Design and Visual Presentation
  • DES 2701: Creative Design Methods (fall only)
  • GDES 1311: Foundations: Drawing & Design in Two and Three Dimension

 Other courses to consider:

  • Writ 1301: University Writing
  • Liberal Education Requirements

Students admitted for spring term

Register for:     

  • ADES 1221: Introduction to Soft Goods Fabrication (spring only)
  • ADES 2221: Design in 3 Dimensions (spring only)
  • RM 1201: Fashion, Ethics and Consumption

Other courses to consider:

  • DES 2101: Design and Visual Presentation (if most or all of your liberal education requirements are complete)  
  • GDES 1311: Foundations: Drawing & Design in Two and Three Dimension 
  • Writ 1301: University Writing
  • Liberal Education Requirements

Architecture

Academic Information

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS report to ensure timely graduation. You must enroll in major courses in the order in which they appear in the four-year plan. Note that some of the courses required for your major are not offered every term. They are designated on your four-year plan as fall term only or spring term only.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Registration

Students entering fall term

Register for:

  • Arch 1281: Design Fundamentals I (fall only)
  • Arch 1621W: Introduction to Critical Inquiry in Practice (fall only)
Students entering spring term

Register for:

  • Arch 2281: Design Fundamentals II (spring only; prerequisite: Arch 1281)

Other courses to consider

  • Arch 3411W: Architectural History to 1750 (fall only)
  • Arch 3412W: Architectural History 1750 to Present (spring only)
  • Arch 3711W: Environmental Design in the Sociocultural Context (fall only)
  • Arch 4561: Architecture and Ecology (spring only)
  • Writ 1301: University Writing
  • Liberal Education Requirement (see note below regarding the mathematical thinking and physical science requirements)

NOTE: If you are interested in pursuing the B.S. degree in Architecture, you will need to complete:

  • Architecture Math Requirement: Math 1142: Short Calculus OR Math 1271: Calculus I
  • Architecture Physics Requirement: Phys 1101W: Introductory College Physics I OR Phys 1201W: Introductory Physics for Biology and Pre-Medicine I OR Phys 1301W: Introductory Physics for Science and Engineering I

Graphic Design

Academic Information

The graphic design major is planned as a four-year major because of the need to sequence studio and non-studio major required courses. Major courses are sequenced over eight consecutive semesters (four years).

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS to ensure timely graduation.

If you are transferring into the program having completed many or all of your liberal education requirements, you may be able to enroll at a reduced credit load in your third and/or fourth year of the program.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

NOTE: If you have completed major-related courses at Minneapolis College or Alexandria Technical and Community College, please consult your advisor.

Registration

Registration information for all pre-graphic design students
  • You must complete the five foundation courses listed below prior to participating in portfolio review.
    1. DES 2101: Design and Visual Presentation
    2. DES 2701:  Creative Design Methods
    3. GDes 1311: Foundations: Drawing and Design in Two and Three Dimensions
    4. GDes 1312: Foundations: Color and Design in Two and Three Dimensions
    5. GDes 1315: Foundations: The Graphic Studio
  • In your first semester, register for 2–3 foundation courses in addition to 1–2 liberal education requirements.
  • You MUST enroll in either GDes 1311 or GDes 1312 during your first semester in order to stay on track.
  • You may NOT take GDes 1311 and GDes 1312 concurrently.

Other courses to consider

  • WRIT 1301: University Writing
  • Liberal Education Requirements

Interior Design

Academic Information

The interior design major is planned as a four-year major because of the need to sequence studio and non-studio major required courses. Major courses are sequenced over eight consecutive semesters (four years). Note that if you are entering the interior design major in spring term, the length of the program is nine semesters because the major-required studio sequence begins in the fall.

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS to ensure timely graduation. You must enroll in major courses in the order in which they appear on your four-year plan. Note that many of the courses required for the major are offered only once a year in either fall or spring semester.

If you are transferring into the program having completed many or all of your liberal education requirements, you may be able to enroll at a reduced credit load in your third and/or fourth year of the program.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Registration

Students admitted for fall term
Register for:

  • Des 1101W: Introduction to Design Thinking
  • IDes 1601: Interior Design Studio I
  • Take one of the following two courses
    • GDes 1311: Foundations: Drawing & Design in Two and Three Dimensions
    • GDes 1312: Foundations: Color & Design in Two and Three Dimensions
    • Note: These courses may NOT be taken concurrently.
  • Psy 1001: Introduction to Psychology

Students admitted for spring term
Register for:

  • Art History requirement—refer to your APAS for course options 
  • Psy 1001: Introduction to Psychology

If space if available, register for:

  • GDes 1311: Foundations: Drawing & Design in Two and Three Dimensions OR GDes 1312: Foundations: Color & Design in Two and Three Dimensions (Note: These courses may NOT be taken concurrently.)

Other courses to consider

  • Writ 1301: University Writing
  • Liberal Education Requirements

Landscape Architecture

Academic Information

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS report to ensure timely graduation. Note that many of the courses required for the major are offered only once a year, either in fall semester or spring semester. When planning your courses, pay attention to the prerequisites for courses over the next two terms.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Registration

Students entering fall term
Register for:

  • Arch 1281: Design Fundamentals I (fall only)
  • Arch 1621W: Introduction to Critical Inquiry in Practice (fall only)

Students entering spring term
Register for:

  • Arch 2281: Design Fundamentals II (spring only; prerequisite Arch 1281)
  • LA 1301: Introduction to Landscape Architecture Drawing (spring only)
  • LA 1401: The Designed Environment (spring only)
  • LA 1601: Design and Equity (spring only)

Other courses to consider

  • Arch 3711W: Environmental Design in the Sociocultural Context (fall only)
  • Biological Sciences Core Elective: Biol 1055: Environmental Biology: Science and Solutions with Laboratory OR Geog 1403: Biogeography of the Global Garden OR Hort 1001: Plant Propagation

Product Design

Academic Information

Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS report to ensure timely graduation. You must enroll in major courses in the order in which they appear in the four-year plan. Note that some of the product design courses required for your major and some of the product design elective course options are not offered every term. They are designated on your four-year plan as fall term only or spring term only.

If you are transferring into the program having completed many or all of your liberal education requirements, you may be able to enroll at a reduced credit load in your third and/or fourth year of the program.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Registration

Registration
You must complete the foundation courses listed below prior to participating in portfolio review.

Students admitted for fall term
Register for:

  • DES 2101: Design and Visual Presentation
  • DES 2701: Creative Design Methods (fall only)
  • PDes 2702: Concept Sketching

Students admitted for spring term
Register for:

  • PDes 2703: Concept Visualization and Presentation 1 (spring only; prerequisites: PDes 2701 and PDes 2702)
  • PDes 2777: Product Form and Modeling Making (spring only; prerequisites: PDes 2701 and PDes 2702)

Other courses to consider

  • CSCI 1103: Introduction to Computer Programming in Java
  • MGMT 3015: Introduction to Entrepreneurship

Retail Merchandising

Academic Information

Your four-year plan identifies the core courses required for all Retail Merchandising students. Be sure to use your four-year plan in conjunction with your APAS report to ensure a timely graduation.

In addition to the core requirements, students must complete a minimum of 18 credits of Retail Merchandising Electives. Refer to your APAS report for Retail Merchandising Elective course options.

Please be aware that some of the RM courses required for your major and some RM and ADes elective course options are not offered every term. They are designated on your four-year plan as fall term only or spring term only.

If you have questions on your APAS report, your four-year plan, or other academic information, contact your academic advisor.

Registration

Within your first two semesters in the major, you should take the following courses: 

  • DES 2101: Design and Visual Presentation
  • RM 1201: Fashion, Ethics, and Consumption
  • DES 2701: Creative Design Methods (fall only)
  • RM 2215: Introduction to Retail Merchandising

Other course options include:

  • DES 1111: Creative Problem Solving
  • APEC 1101/ECON 1101: Principles of Microeconomics
  • MATH 1031: College Algebra OR CI 1806: College Algebra through Modeling
  • WRIT 1301: University Writing